Peter von schmidt



UNTTHD sTaTns rATHNT orrion.

PETER vON SCHMIDT, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

SUBMERGED PnornLLER.

i Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 3,606, dated May 30, 1844:.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known `that I, PETER VON SCHMIDT, of l/Vashington city, District ofColumbia, have invented a new and Improved Mode of PropellingSteainsliips, Boats, and other Vessels; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof. y

The nature of my invention, called` the submerged universal propeller,is, that the propelling power is obtained by the use of fans (similar tothe common fans used for cleaning grain,) submerged in a peculiar mannerbelow the surface of the Surrounding water, and` the apparatus is soconstructed, that a steam ship or any other steam vessel maybe propelledahead, backward, or turned round on the spotl where it Stands, or whenunder way without loss of time; or withoutbeing compelled to stop thesteam engine in the operation of changing the direction `and position ofa vessel; it possesses further, the Aadvantage over all i other knowninode of propelling, that a vessel may be stopped at pleasure for anylength ot time without the necessity of stopping the engine,V the dangerof accumulating a high pressure of steam, may be avoided, and thereforethe danger of explosion of the `boiler in a great measure diminished,particularly at the `moment when the engine is i Set again in motion.`

` To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation;

\ and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this i specilicationin which- M y Figure l is a perspective view of all the parts visiblefrom the outside of the sub-- merged universal propeller; (A.) the topcover of the box of the propeller; (13,) the lower cover of the box ofthe propeller. (C, C, C) An opening all around the periphery, above andbelow the box. to admit the surrounding water into it, and provided withsome kind of grating to prevent grass or` other substances to enter thebox (D D); (D D) the body of the box oontaining the fans; (E E) a kindof fiange above and below the body of the box, to conneet by means ofthe screw bolts (a, a, a, &c.) the covers (A & LB) and the grates (c, c,c,

&c) in a solid manner to the box (D D); (F,) the Shaft of the fans, (o)a stuffing box, (CZ, CZ, (L) a strong iron cross piece to support theshaft; (G,) the discharge opening by a spoilt, in length to suit thevessel,

for propelling head-ways; (H, II,) the cover and bottom of said spouts,which is a continuance of the flanges (E, E,) (I) a `water tight box orchest, which contains a shutter to out off the communication between theinside of the box (D, D,) and the spout- (Gr, Gr,); (f) a bar and ratchto raise, and depress the shutter in the chest; (J) (a) a stuffing-boxround said bar; (K) a simil-ar spout to back the vessel; (L) a similarchest or box to the same purpose and saine arrangements as described at(I) (M,) a similar spout for turning a vessel sideways, the arrangementsfor opening and shutting the communication with the box (D, D,) is thesame at all three spouts, the

arrows showing the direction of the current of the `water when thepropeller is in use in either way.

rIlhe whole apparatus, or submerged universal propeller is placedhorizontally in the inside of the hull of a vessel, and placed in apartition constructed for that purpose, with proper openings to theoutside So that vthe surrounding water may have free access `all roundthe box of said propeller, the

extremities of the spouts G, K, open with the outside of the vessel intheir proper directions, see Fig. 7, a, a, where the two Openings of thepipes for backing, and the pipe for turning the vessel sideways, areshown which are closed by movable shutters (o (1,) ixed at the side ofthe vessel, and so constructed, that the pressure from the surroundingwater about the vessel may close said shutters, but, as soon as thewater should press against them from the propeller when in use, theshutters may open of themselves.

Fig. 2, the same box as represented in (Fig. l) but the upper coverandthe fans removed from the inside; (D D,) the box; (D,) the lowercover of the box; (G,) the ink to receive the shaft, (a, a, a, (6,) astrong iron cross over all the surface of the cover to support theshaft; (7c 76,) the opening, and grate to admit the water into the box,(E, E, D,) the flanges above and below, to fasten and connect the upperand lower cover; (F,) the inside view from the spout for propellingahead; (G,) inside view from the spout for propelling backward; (H,)inside View from the spout for turning the vessel sidewise; (7c, la, 7c,&e.) grooves where the shutters have to move, to exclude or to admit thewater through each spout; (e, e, e, e, &c.,) holes for the connectingbolts of the box.

Fig. 3, the same box, as seen from above, the upper cover removed, butthe fans in it, in proper position; (F, H, G,) the said spouts as abovedescribed; (A,) the shaft of the fans; (B, B, B &c.,) six or more fansfixed on the shaft (A) by the flanges m, m &c.); (0,) the lower plate toconnect the fans, in order to give them more strength to resist thewater; (D, D, D, Smc.) the grooves for the shutters as above described,the darts showing the direction of motion of the fans.

Fig. 4t, showing the fans and their fixed connection with the upper andlower circular plates in perspective; (A and 13,) the said plates; (C,C, &c.,) the wings of the said fans; (D,) the shaft; (E, E, E, &c.,) theflanges to connect shaft and fans; (f, f, f, &c.,) showing the rivets orscrews of said connection.

F ig. 5, a longitudinal elevation through the center of the box; (A,)the shaft; (B,) the fans; ((1,) the flanges of the shaft; (1),) the inkand iron cross-piece to receive the shaft; (E) the upper ironcross-piece to keep the shaft in its proper place; (F,) a

stufling box; (9,) a coupling to connect the ypropeller with the movingpower; (H, H,

and 1, 1,) the upper and lower covering; (K and K,) the opening andgrates above and below; (L, L, L, L,) the flanges above and belowtoconnect the covering and grate with the box by the iron screw bolts(0a &c); (M, M, M, M,) the upper and lower connecting plates of thefans.

Fig. 6, showing a part of the box and the opening of a spout, the modeof admitting, or shutting out, the current of water coming from thefans; (A, A,) a part of the box; (13,) the opening of the spout in thebox; ((1,) the extremity of the spout; (D,) Athe shutterand (E, E,) theframe or chest of said shutter; (F,) the bar and ratch,for raising anddepressing shutter; (g,) a pinion in connection for same purpose;showing the groove where the shutter moves up or down; (H and I) theupper and lower cover; (K, K, &c.) showing the upper and lower openspace (and grates) to admit the water into the box.

The operation; The whole apparatus of the submerged universal propeller,as above described is to be properly arranged into the hull of a steamvessel in a partition constructed for that purpose, so that thepartition, to the inside of the vessel should be water tight, but at theoutside of the vessel, as much opening left as necessary for theadmission of the required water to supply the fans, into the partitionof the apparatus.

The apparatus is to be arranged in a position that the spout or pipe(Gr, G, Fig. 1,) bev parallel with the keel of the vessel, the spout ina right angle with the keel and the spout (K) near to an oppositedirection to the spout (Gr G,). Suppose in such a situation the wholeapparatus being immersed under the surface of the surrounding water, andthe spout (G G) open, and the spout (M and K) shut, the fans being putin motion by the moving power, the vessel will be propelled ahead. Ifthe spout (Gr G) being shut without stopping the steam engine, and thespout (K) opened, the vessel will be propelled backward. If the spout(K) should be shut, and (M) opened under the same circumstances, thevessel will turn round, or sidewise. And if all three shutters should beclosed the vessel will of course stopand the engine will continue towork as before, but with more speed, and therefore by this t-he safetyof a vessel will be increased, as the steam is worked off as fast asbefore and the wated replaced within the boilers by the pumps.

As a matter of course, each vessel so propelled by the said universalsubmerged propeller should yhave two apparatus, one at each side, ormore if desired, but in some cases, a vessel could be propelled by onlyone apparatus as before described.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to sec'ure'by Letters Patentis'- Y The employment of a wheel inclosed in a case as herein described,having tangent pipes leading forward and out at the side of the vessel,in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth the whole beingsubmerged in a recess in the vessel and'aeting in any direction at thewill. of the engineer without reversing the motio-n of the wheel or inany way checking the engine by means of shutters or gates arranged asabove described.

PETER VON SCHMIDT. 1/Vitnesses:

J. J. GREENOUGH, LAFAYmvrE CALDWELL,

